Διάβασα το μήνυμα δεύτερη φορά και το κατάλαβα καλύτερα.

I read the message a second time and understood it better.

Breakdown of Διάβασα το μήνυμα δεύτερη φορά και το κατάλαβα καλύτερα.

• και: and
• καταλαβαίνω: to understand
• το μήνυμα: the message
• διαβάζω: to read

Questions & Answers about Διάβασα το μήνυμα δεύτερη φορά και το κατάλαβα καλύτερα.

What does Διάβασα mean here, and what form is it?

Διάβασα is the 1st person singular aorist of διαβάζω (to read).

So:

• διαβάζω = I read / I am reading
• διάβασα = I read / I did read

In this sentence, the aorist shows a completed action in the past: the speaker read the message once again, as a finished event.

Greek often uses the aorist where English uses the simple past:

• Διάβασα το μήνυμα. = I read the message.

Why is there no εγώ for I?

Greek usually does not need a subject pronoun, because the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

Here, διάβασα clearly means I read, and κατάλαβα clearly means I understood.

So:

• Διάβασα = I read
• Κατάλαβα = I understood

You can add εγώ if you want emphasis or contrast:

• Εγώ διάβασα το μήνυμα... = I read the message...

But in a normal sentence, it is usually omitted.

Why is it το μήνυμα?